Emery-wheel



Patented Mar. 3,1896.

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0. L. MERITHEW.

(No Mbdel.)

EMERY WHEEL.

NITED STATES CHARLES L. MERITHEW, OF MUIR, MICHIGAN.

EMERY-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 555,579, dated March 3, 1896. Application filed May 4, 1895. $erial No. 548,171. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES L. MERITHEW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Muir, in the county of Ionia and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in EmeryWheels; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in emery-wheels, and particularly to improvements in means for supporting the same; and it consists in an adjustable back plate adapted to protect the emery-wheel from breakage in consequence of the side pressure to which it is subjected in use, not only when the wheel is first used, but after its surface has been worn and its diameter lessened, and also in improved means for securing said back plate and emery-disk tightly together, the construction and arrangement of the parts of which will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Emery-wheels are usually made of relatively small thickness in consequence of the cost of the material, and in their use they are often subjected to great pressure. This pressure, as it is exerted from only one side, frequently results in the chipping off or breaking of the periphery of the wheel, thus necessitating the reshaping of the wheel before it can be used again.

To strengthen emery-wheels,it is customary vto employ a central backing-plate, which,how-

ever, is usually of a diameter much less than that of the entire wheel. While partial pro tection from strain is thus afforded, such protection is by no means complete, and in actual use the difficulty of breakage of therim is often experienced with such wheels.

Occasionally emery wheels are used in which a back plate is provided extending to the extreme periphery of the disk. This arrangement is disadvantageous, because as soon as the disk is" usedsufficiently to wear off the curved edges of such plate the protection afforded thereby is much lessened.

One object of my invention is to provide a back plate which shall be free from the disadvantages consequent to the use of such plates as are now constructed, and which will afiord a uniform protection throughout the entire wear of the emery-wheel, effectually removing the danger of premature breaking of the periphery of the emery-wheel.

A further object of my invention is to provide improved means for closely connecting the backing-plate and the emery-Wheel.

My invention consists, first, in attaching to a central backing-plate of relatively small diameter adjustable extension rods or plates, which extend to the periphery of the emerywheel, andwhich, as the wheel becomes Worn, can be drawn inward, thus affording a uniform protection to the Wheel throughout the entire period of its use, and, second, in forming an opening at the center of the emery disk and passing therethrough the conical end of a plug, which on its outer end bears a large round plate adapted to furnish a support to the central portion of the emery-wheel. The conical end of the plug is screwed into a suitably-formed projection on the back plate, thus holding the parts firmly and securely together.

My invention is fully represented in the drawings which accompany and form a part of this application, in which the same reference-numerals refer to the same or corresponding parts, and in which- Figure 1 is a sectional view of an emery- Wheel with my improved supporting or backin g plate in position thereon. Fig. 2 is a like view, the extension portions of the backingplate being removed, other means than those shown in Fig. 1 being shown for more securely attaching the central backing-plate to the emery-wheel. Fig. 3 is a back view of my emery-wheel, showing a modified form of my supporting-plate.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents an emery disk or wheel. This may be made of any desired size or thickness. It may be made a solid wheel, as shown in Fig. 2, or a central aperture may be provided, as shown in Fig. 1. The outer surface of this wheel is left perfectly plain, so as to facilitate the facing of the same. To the back or rear face of the wheel is attached a supporting plate or collar 2. This plate is of a diameter much less than that of the entire wheel. I have shown in the drawings two methods of securing and firmly attaching it to the emery-disk; In the construetion shown in Fig. 1, which is the preferable construction, the conical plug 15 is inserted through the central opening in the emery-disk. This conical plug is formed with a screw-threaded portion 16, a straight portion 17 of awidth equal. to the thickness of the emery-disk, and an end flange or plate 18, which is of relatively lz'n'ge diameter and serves as a strengtheningilate to the front surface oftheemery-disk. Thescrew-thread ed end ot' the plug is screwed into the interiorly-screw-threaded hollow )rojection 19 formed on the supporting plate or collar 2, and the parts are thus iirml y held together. The plug is formed either with a countersunk recess 20 or the raised lu 21 for the reception of the end of. the wrench used to force it into position.

In Fig. 2 no such conical plug is used, but instead a form of bolt l; is used to attach the back plate to the emery-disk, which has on one end a broad bearing-plate which presses against the outer surface of the emery-wheel and effectually prevents the bolts i from being torn through the emery-disk and thus separated therefrom.

The plate 2 is provided with a socket by which it can be secured or otherwise attached to the shaft. On the surface of the plate 2 are formed sockets through which extend the adjustable extension-rods 6, which are provided with curved ends 7, adapted to ii t over the recessed back surface of the emerywheel and to be adjusted in positionby means of the thumb-screws fl. As many of these rods may be used as desired. The support secured by the use of these rods is very perfect, and as they can be drawn inward as the rim or periphery of the wheel becomes worn down such support extends throughout the entire life of the wheel. The support afforded by the rods is such as to remove all possibility of the wheel breaking by reason of the side pressure to which it is subjected in use, and the life of the wheel is very materially lengthencd.

lVhile I have thus described one construction by which an adjustable back-support for emery-wheels may be obtained, it is obvious that other constructions are available, and in Fig. 3 is illustrated one of these constructions. In this figure the segmental rings or plates 11 are secured by the arms 10 to the central back plate The arms 10 are formed with slots extending lengthwise of the same, and thereby hold the rings or plates 11 in a fixed position. When the emery-wheel is :[irst used, the rings or plates 11 are so adjusted as to extend to the periphery of the wheel. As such periphery becomes worn, the plates can be adjusted inward. They still afford, however, perfect protection from breakage. \Vhcn the wheels become so far worn. that their use is no longernecessa-ry or advisable, they can be removed, and thus allow the emery-wheel to wear to the rim of the central backing-plate without at any time being subjected to the risk of breakage.

I have thus described my invention as used in connection with emery-wheels. It is also applicable to the use of other wheels of. like nature, although they maynot be constructed of emery, and although I have already described two methods of providing an adjustable back-sup1'iort for emery-wheels it is obvious that other methods may be devised which will come within the scope of my inven' tion; so that What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The ctn'nbination with a disk. of emery or like substance, of a central back-supporting plate attached to the same, adjustable supporting devices attached thereto, and adapted to extend to the periphery of the disk, and means for holding said adjustable devices in a fixed position, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a disk of emery or like substance, of: the central back-supporting plate 2, the adjustable rods (3 extending therefrom, the thumb-screws t) for holding the same in a fixed position, substantially as descril. ed.

$3. The combination of a disk of emery or like sul )SiflllCO having a depressed back edge, of a central latch-supporting plate attached to the same, adjustable supporting devices attached thereto, and adapted to extend to the periphery of the disk. and engage on the said depressed. portion. of the edge and means for holding said adjustable devicein a fixed position, substantially as described.

4:. The combination. with a disk. of emery or like substance, having a central aperture therein, and a central back-su pportin g plate having a hollow interiorly-screw-threaded conical depression formed on the same, and having adjustable supporting devices attached thereto, means for holding said adjustable devices in a fixed position, and a plug adapted to be inserted through the aperture in the emery-disk and to engage the screw-threaded depression in said back plate, sul'istantially as described.

In testimony whereof I atiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES L. IllERlTlIElV.

\Vitnesses A. K. Roor, E. O. SPALDING. 

